Every Virginia Tech First-Round Pick In NFL History

Which Virginia Tech players have seen their names come across opening draft night

Aug 28, 2025; Norfolk, VA, USA; Norfolk State Spartans head coach Michael Vick looks on during a time of the game against the Towson Tigers at William Price Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Peter Casey-Imagn Images | Peter Casey-Imagn Images

The Virginia Tech Hokies are currently on a mission to get things right. 

For the better part of a decade, the Hokies have shied away from the national spotlight and instead have settled for .500 or worse records. 

That dropoff has slowly but surely seen the Hokies’ NFL production tail off, and then you suddenly realize that Virginia Tech hasn’t even had a player go in the first round since 2021. 

It is James Franklin’s job to change that and to bring Tech back to where Frank Beamer had once built the program up to. 

But while beginning to dream of the heights that the Hokies can reach under the former Penn State coach seems enticing, the Hokies must settle in with the now, which is a necessary rebuild.

Each Hokie To Go In The First Round

The first-ever Virginia Tech player to get selected in the first round is legendary defensive end Bruce Smith, who set the bar as high as possible, having been drafted No. 1 overall by the Buffalo Bills in 1985.

Following on from Smith is offensive tackle Eugene Chung, who went No. 13 in the 1992 draft to the New England Patriots. 

Quarterback Jim Druckenmiller was picked by the San Francisco 49ers in the 1997 draft. 

It was then a four-year gap before the great Michael Vick was taken with the No. 1 overall selection in 2001. Vick has since been the last Hokie to be selected at the top slot. 

Three years later, the Falcons then selected lockdown cornerback DeAngelo Hall in the 2004 draft. 

22 picks later, that same draft, the Detroit Lions took running back Kevin Jones with the 30th pick. 

In 2008, offensive lineman Duane Brown was taken with the No. 26 selection, becoming just the second offensive lineman behind Chung to be taken on the offensive front. 

It was another four years before electric running back David Wilson was snatched with the last pick of the first round by the New York Giants. 

Cornerback Kyle Fuller ended up in Chicago with the Bears in the 2014 draft, with the No. 14 pick. 

Another four-year gap ensued before two Hokies were selected in brothers Tremaine and Terrell Edmunds with the No. 16 and 28th picks. 

Which then leads to 2021, when corner Caleb Farley and offensive lineman Christian Darrisaw were picked back-to-back with the No. 22 and 23rd picks, marking the last time any Hokie was taken in the first round.